Hard Enough - Chapter 333 - Breaking minds

“So, you’re going to take it easy on her right?” Yolanda asked, having intercepted me on my way towards the training area.

Her question earned her a disbelieving look from me. 

“Yolanda, I know you’re not this naive. Lola… she’s got subscriptions rather than just issues and a lot of those derive from her time during the Great War. She was highly active in it, and it sounds like she hasn’t really stopped being active.”

Yolanda coughed sheepishly but shot me an intense look like she wasn’t going to leave it alone. 

“I sighed. “From what I picked up from the Trinity nations group, she basically tried to cave their heads in when they first met, and they attempted to detain her. It took Cynthia, an extremely powerful trainer, to take her down without hurting her.” 

Yolanda gave me a long, thoughtful look, only to narrow her eyes. “You still didn’t answer my question.”

I chuffed out a laugh. “Good catch,” I replied. “I’m not going into this trying to beat her up.” I turned and laid a hand on Yolanda’s shoulder. “If anything, I think she’ll be the one kicking me around. I’m doing this as she’s supposed to be teaching me. If she can’t do that at an appropriate level for you kids there is no way I’m letting her try.”

“Oh,” Yolanda blinked, ducking her head. “Sorry, I was just worried. You might have thought she deserved a punch or two…”

“Doesn’t she just,” I muttered.

Yolanda’s head snapped up, only to cough as I gave her a flat look. “Yeah she oversteps… so maybe.” 

I squeezed her shoulder. “I’ll try not to enjoy it,” I swore before muttering under my breath. “It might be cathartic, though.” 

“Brock!” 

“Joking,” I said, raising my hands before walking into the Gym to find A.J. running on the treadmill and Dennis lifting weights. Dennis flicked his head towards the mat area that we mostly used for stretching, only to find Lola was there in her normal attire.

She looked like a housewife who had just stumbled in. She was playing with a bunch of the pads, laying them out with a small smile.

“Uhmmm Lola? Aren’t you going to—” She flicked one of the pads at my head, and I swerved to the side, evading the pads only to find Lola suddenly in my face with her hand extended towards my neck. 

“Sometimes, it's good to avoid strikes, and sometimes, it's best to let them hit, but it is always important that when a fight starts, your defensive posture shifts! When you throw punches, you always leave yourself open. You need to learn to adopt a defensive posture first!” she barked like a drill sergeant. 

I blinked in shock.

Yolanda blinked in shock.

Dennis stared. 

A.J. tripped on the treadmill and got flung off into a soft mat, where he sat up and stared. 

“Mum?” Yolanda asked. 

Lola huffed. “What did you think? I was going to get you throwing punches and kicks in your first lesson? No, that’s amateur hour! True fighters start with a strong foundation which in this case means defence!” 

She crouched and widened her stance. “Notice how my feet are evenly spaced at shoulder distance with one slightly forward and—” From there, a surprisingly detailed and actually rather intense session occurred where I had to hold a stance. 

It reminded me of a mix between a boxing stance and judo with how she had me slightly crouched with my arms up and elbows tucked in. Or was that just a basic mixed martial arts stance?

Lola then had me walking around in the defensive position, shifting to her demands where she would swing a pad at me and I would evade or block with her, occasionally throwing a feint in as well. She’d have me walk forward, backwards, sideways, and slantways to evade, all while in the position.

Yolanda sat to the side, watching over the training session. If I hadn’t been focusing on the stance as much, I might have made faces at her, but other than noting her position, I ignored her. 

“So how come you’re still dressed like a housewife instead of in training gear?” I asked after completing several circuits of the mats, a light sweat trickling down my brow. 

“No talking. Focus on your stance, bob through the torso but keep your core activated. A strong core will serve you well,” she commanded. 

I sighed and followed her orders. 

“Mum? How come you’re not in training gear?” Yolanda asked.

Lola gave her a quick look before giggling. “Because you don’t separate training for special clothing. Sometimes when a fight comes your way you’re not always going to be in the best attire. You train with the clothes you wear normally. If the clothes don’t work then you have to either learn to fight in them, or get better clothes.”

She glanced at me. “You should remember that Brock.”

I hummed, ducking under a pad being swung at my head. “That’s not something I have to worry about too often,” I replied. 

Lola stepped back and gave me a long stare. “Yeah, I’m not naive Brock. If you’re familiar with Koga, then that means you’re probably involved in certain actions,” she said.

I blinked while Yolanda frowned. “Mum? What are you talking about?” 

Lola shook her head, and I coughed. “I don’t think she needs to know that,” I replied. 

Yolanda frowned and pouted. “I’m not dumb! I know you get into policing actions!” 

“Yes, he does that but your brother also disappears from the house most mornings with his team, doesn’t he? He also has specific areas of the Gym locked—” 

I straightened and drew on my aura, my previous fatigue vanishing as I stood strong, radiating dark energy. “Lola, did you go through my things?” I growled. 

Lola threw a pad at me in response, only for it to be batted away with a flick of my arm, I wasn’t playing her games.

Some part of her training must have stuck with me, as while I batted the pad away, my other arm shot up into a defensive position and blocked a follow-up strike she tried to land with another pad into my side.

“There you’re gett—” My other arm shot back and latched onto her shoulder. 

“Lola, no dodging the questio—” I tried to demand an answer, only for her eyes to flash as both hands shot up to my arm. 

I had a moment to tense up as I realised that she was about to throw me.

Or rather, attempt it.

I dug into my rock energy and sank low, countering her attempt. I tugged her into my chest, only for her to twitch and an elbow to fly up at my face. 

I stepped in and around her. Rather than keep up with this dance, I pushed her and myself apart. 

I disengaged and shifted back into my ‘fighting’ stance. 

Lola twisted around and assessed me, only to take up a vibrant smile. “Oh good, the lesson stuck!” 

I straightened. “Lola! Did you go through my stuff?” I barked, not willing to let that point go.

Lola shook her head. “No, your little security system was actually up to snuff, so I haven’t been able to yet, but it's obvious what you’re up to if you know what to look for. I used to work with Koga after all,” she teased. 

I exhaled. “Hmmm.” I rolled my shoulders and checked the clock. “I think that’s enough for today.”

The sessions had been good, for the majority of the time. I’d had much lower expectations for her. Seeing Lola be so professional for so long had kind of thrown me off.

It was only her calling me out on my Guardian duties that had me reacting that had caused things to spiral. Her point about clothes and being ready to fight in what you wear every day made sense.

Yolanda stood to the side, once more a child caught in between what was obviously two parental figures fighting. I rubbed my head. “Lola… I think I’ll take you up on some more lessons. They’re tough but they make a lot of sense.”

Lola beamed at me. “Yup! So I’ll bring in the other—”

I raised a hand. “One lesson does not a teacher make,” I stated cryptically. 

“Ooooh, gotcha! Gonna vet me first, huh?” she said playfully. 

Yolanda coughed. “Can I start some lessons now before I go off on my journey this year?”

I was halfway turning to Yolanda to commend her only for Lola to shake her head. “Oh, no you can’t go! With Forrest out it would make too many people away if you were to leave as well! You can wait until the next year!” she said with a dismissive wave as she turned away from her daughter, the conversation apparently done in her mind.

Yolanda blinked, stunned that she’d been both denied, and disregarded like that.

I wasn’t going to let that stand. “Yolanda’s more than ready. Her training in the Gym, with other trainers and even the local Battle club have been extensive. Her starter pokemon is more than ready. She’s going to flatten a lot of competitors for her first year frankly. The only people that will give her trouble will be the multi-year trainers, and Indigo only accepts those that have at most a year under their belt before their strength is capped,” I pointed out. 

Yolanda beamed at me, delighted by the praise.

“I’m her mother, and she needs to stay home. We need to rebuild our bonds as a family,” Lola declared as she packed up the pads and set them aside. 

She gave us a pleased smile and started to walk away. 

Yolanda and I stared. I was about to interject before shaking my head. “It’s up to Yolanda. I don’t need to talk for her anymore, she’s old enough that if she wants to leave, she can do so, if she wants to stay…” I left the rest unsaid. 

Lola paused and turned. “Brock that’s—”

“No, he’s right.” Yolanda straightened her spine and locked eyes with Lola. “He’s sheltered me and given me everything a young trainer could want as a starting platform.” 

Yolanda took a moment to take a deep breath, centering herself before speaking up once again. “I want… no. I will be going on my journey next year with my friends. I’ve taken as much into account as I can, but there’s bound to be things I didn’t consider. I need to go out to experience and learn those though.”

“Yolanda dear, please don’t. It hurts me, hearing you wanting to lea—” Lola raised her hands like she was going to hug Yolanda, but Yolanda stepped back and shook her head.

“Don’t do that,” Yolanda said defensively. “Don’t make it seem like I’m doing something bad by pursuing something I want!” 

“Being selfish can—” 

“No! Wanting things isn’t bad! Pursuing our dreams isn’t wrong!” Yolanda snapped. 

Yolanda stabbed a finger towards me. “I’ve seen how Brock has been successful despite you and sometimes us holding him back! I’m not going to let myself be held captive! I’m growing up and I’m going to see the world! If you don’t want to help me… I can’t say I’m surprised!” she shouted with a defiant look in her eyes.

Lola stared at Yolanda, for the first time since she’d come back she was stunned because of something Yolanda had said. 

Yolanda nodded and exhaled. “I’m going to go jam out a bit.” 

She held up a hand to Lola. “Do not enter my room!” she growled, leaning down and collecting Terra, who bared her teeth silently. 

Lola watched her go. I glanced around and found that Dennis and A.J. had left, when precisely I couldn’t say. It was just me and Lola in the gym.

Lola twitched and shuddered. Then she glanced at me. “Well, that was dramatic, wasn’t it?” 

I raised an unimpressed eyebrow. “It was true and dredged up a lot of emotions that I think she’s been holding in for a while now. I’m glad she voiced them.”

“Well, she obviously needs time to settle down. She must be starting puberty,” Lola said.

My scoff echoed loudly through the gym. “Stop blinding yourself. You’re not doing yourself or the kids any good.”

“I only want what is best for them.”

I worked my jaw back and forth. Was I doing this here and now?

I drew in a breath, only for the image of Yolanda storming off to flash through my mind. 

Yup, fuck it I was doing it. Time to rip off the band-aid.

“You might think that,” I said slowly, “but your denial of Yolanda is too… distorted by your own view of the situation,” I stated. 

“Distorted? You’re being ridi—”

“And let’s be honest,” I didn’t let her keep talking, I suspected I was going to have to do that a lot in this conversation. “You’ve got plenty of things in your past influencing you, like how what happened with your family—”

“Don’t you talk about—”

“I have to because what happened back then is affecting us now!” I roared over the top of her. 

Lola blinked in shock at the sudden shout.

The words echoed around the gym and I exhaled. “It needs to be talked about. Cause right now it is this festering issue that has taken hold of you and causes you to leak poison and bile into our family!” 

I slashed my hand through the air. “I’m sick of it, and it seems Yolanda is also sick of it. So it’s time to stop dancing around you so much. You’ve got a ton of issues and you need to start addressing them.”

“I don’t have any issues!” snapped Lola petulantly as she turned towards the door. 

“Oh? Is that how it’s going to be? You keep running away forever?” 

Lola paused at my words, or perhaps it was my tone. Whatever it was, she stopped and shot me a glare that raised the hairs on the back of my neck. 

Instead of backing down, I stepped forward, applying more pressure to her while being more than ready to handle her if she got physical. 

“Your family needs you to stop running and deal with your issues! Can you do that?” The dark urge to twist this conversation to make her just run whispered a seductive tale in my ears of how much easier things might be, but easier wasn’t what my family needed.

“It…” she trailed off and curled in on herself. “It’s too hard, you wouldn’t understand.”

“Is it just the difficulty? Because all that matters to me is that there has been a right way to deal with it and a wrong one, and you’ve consecutively chosen poorly time and time again.”

She stepped back at that but again I didn’t lower my tone. I didn’t step in on her however, knowing that too much pressure would see her explode into action. 

“You can have assistance. Think of it as a team working with you. Think about buildings, “ I said, carefully deciding to use a metaphor if a blunt statement wasn’t doing it. “It’s not a sign of weakness but strength to have more supporters. It’s wisdom. Do you want to be strong?”

“I am not a child Brock! I’m your mother! Don’t talk to me like that!” she snapped, straightening up.

Oh the things I could say to that. I knew I could send her sprinting from the room but instead I gave a dismissive wave. “I don’t see a woman worth calling that in front of me. Not after you ran away from your family repeatedly.”

“I did that to protec—”

“All you did was hurt them. The faster you realise that the better off you will be and our family will be!”

“...”  Lola gaped, her mouth working back and forth. 

I could almost see the gears in her mind whirling away only for nothing to be produced. She’d thrown her shots at me and I’d ignored, dismantled or destroyed each of them as they came.

Damn, those books and the talks I’d had with my psychologist really were coming in clutch. 

Lola looked half rabid while I felt centred and in control, any annoyance I might have felt were pushed to the side. I’d debrief with people later and let the emotions bleed out of me.

Not even the urge to say something deliberately hurtful was breaking through despite some dark thoughts.

I drew a business card that I’d been holding onto for a while now. It had a number on it for a much older psychiatrist, one who’d lived through the Great War and seen the scars firsthand. 

It had taken a bit of digging because anything with the Great War was usually classified but I’d decided enough was enough and tapped Agatha on who would know. 

Agatha had been very quiet when I’d asked her that question.

She’d later handed me this business card. 

“Think you can talk to Major Wilma Whimsy?” I asked. 

Lola stiffed. “A Major?” she asked.

“Former Major, she led the defence of Eden Town,” I stated. 

Lola stared. “But that was a massacre…” 

“So she knows how to talk about tough events.” I considered what else could be said at this moment before deciding I might as well. 

“Also, stop fucking with Flint’s mind!” I chopped the air in her direction.

“I do no such—”

I snorted derisively and decided to play a card I’d kept hidden for a while now. “ Cypher! Exit and report!” I called. 

On Lola’s wrist, her transceiver began to buzz and shine, only for something large to unfold out of it. It launched itself from her arm to mine before the projection system activated, and a digital duck appeared. It assembled and disassembled itself while squawking happily. 

I raised my wrist. “This is a new trick they didn’t have back in your day. They developed this pokemon while you’ve been away. I downloaded it into your transceiver.”

“You had no right!” Lola snapped, but I ignored her. 

“I mostly did it so that if you did run again, I’d be able to track you down if I ever needed to.”

Lola’s indignation vanished as she adopted a cutesy pose. “Aww you do care—” 

I held up a hand. “Cypher, display any collected video of Lola gaslighting Flint,” I ordered. 

A projection opened from my own transceiver, and a huge library of files began to populate.

Lola gaped as more and more were listed with the time and dates clearly listed with each video file. 

A display quickly appeared that read -error insufficient storage- 

I glanced up. “You do it a lot,” I stated, and wasn’t that an understatement. “You need to stop. Flint, dare I say, has been impressing me with how he’s grown as a person. He stood up and helped out. He is not dragging anyone down but building them up in turn.” I directed a finger at her. 

“Even you, when you’re tearing him to shreds.” 

Lola stared at my wrist. “Brock I can’t believe that you—” 

I performed a select all and made a show of deleting the files. If I actually needed them I could dredge them up from my recycle bin, not that I expected Lola to know about that. Tech savviness wasn’t a skill I knew her to have. At the very least, it would be worth forwarding to Flint’s Psychologist. 

“There gone, but it proved my point!” I jabbed at her. “Get help, stop hurting everyone around you, do better!” I ordered. “Or you’ll find you don’t have a place in this family!” 

With that said and done, I marched out of the gym, leaving Lola to think about what I’d said. 

I took a few fortifying breaths as I marched away. My route happened to see me pass by the offices where I found Dennis working with A.J. on a list of pokemon that was projected on the whiteboard. I offered both a nod of thanks and they nodded back.

When I entered the house, I frowned as a song I’d never heard before trickled down the hall. I tilted my head. It was too early in the day for the kids to be back home, and Nanny Gravs soap operas were never this musical.

The music ended up being Yolanda, singing as she strummed her guitar. 

“I’ve learned to love with walls in place.
But you still find the cracks in grace.
Are you my mother or a stranger with my eyes?
You left a trail of wildfire where my calm used to lie.
I wanna run, I wanna cry, but I still wanna try!”

Yolanda paused and wrote something into her notepad. “Hmm a few of those verses are a bit clunky,” she muttered. 

“Tar! Ar ar!” barked Terra loyally as she whipped her horn around.

Yolanda giggled. “You think everything I sing rocks girl, get some objectivity.” 

Terra just stared back with shining eyes that conveyed how much she believed in Yolanda.  Yolanda scoffed but still smiled as she looked away. 

I decided I'd best knock even if the door was partially open. “Hey, I had a conversation with Lola just now… so thanks,” I said, feeling weird while knowing that it was a conversation that wouldn’t have come about without someone else saying something.

“O-oh?” she said, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear. “Is she alright?” she asked with a twitch of her lips. 

“I gave her a number to a psychologist who fought in some of the battles of the war. Thought that might be someone that she can talk with.”

“Huh,” Yolanda replied. “That’s a good idea.”

I nodded and gave the room a slow look over. 

Yolanda’s room was neat but cluttered. 

Her bed had a ton of pillows on it, some with more fur than normal, but then again, when Eevee frequently slept in her room, it wasn’t surprising. She had posters featuring various strong trainers with my own pokemon team, both the Gym pokemon, and me and my Ace team taking up part of one wall. Sabrina’s poster took up the space next to it. Another wall had musicians. 

Her shelves were packed with books about various pokemon management guides, along with a familiar journal that I’d used to read through. I nodded to it. “Reading up about water types?” I asked. 

Yolanda nodded.”Yeah, gonna need them, or a good flying type, but seeing as I have a good start on water types I thought I might go that direction. Not sure what I’ll catch though. Think I could get a Lapras, or a Squirtle?”

“You could do it,” I replied easily. I didn’t doubt she’d find a way. 

Yolanda idly plucked at a few strings on her guitar, causing the room to ring with a furtive energy as the sound reverberated. 

I watched her. “You going to be alright?” 

Yolanda nodded. “Yeah, I’m going to try and push these emotions into a song.” 

She eyed me, “Which I’m not going to sing with you standing around here. I guess I need to remember to close my door more often after a certain someone went and got snacks!” she said with a fake growl toward Terra, who coughed and looked away. 

I chuckled. “Wow, you’re impressive, you know little sis? You’ve got this all worked out.” 

I moved towards the door. “Shame if not I had this whole talk lined up where I could have shown how important emotions are,” Then I paused as I recalled an important fact. “Although I doubt it would have worked cause Eevee doesn’t really want to evolve.”

Yolanda blinked, only to twitch. “You know a different Eevolution don’t you?” 

I nodded. “Yeah, a fairy typing. It’s all about love not friendship. Eevee could probably pull it off, but she’s happy with her life as an eevee so I—”

One of the pillows that I’d mistaken for a furry pillow shifted and revealed itself to be eevee. “Eevee?” she asked. 

I coughed. “Hey Eevee, just talking about it, we’re not going to—”

Eevee started barking at me and even began pawing at her collar where the everstone was. 

“You want to evolve into a fairy-type pokemon?” I asked. 

Eevee puffed up and flicked her head.

I stared and glanced at Yolanda. “Did she just say she wants to be prettier?” 

Yolanda nodded as giggles spilled out of her. “She said she wants to be beautiful.” 

Yolanda continued to giggle as I reconsidered the idea. 

Then Yolanda perked up. “Oh! Oh! Eevee can we do it in front of Professor Oak? It’d fry his brain!” she declared. 

I chuckled. “Wow that’s evil Yolanda.” 

We shared a grin. “I like the way you think, if Eevee’s alright with it I’ll call him up now.”

Eevee merely flicked her hair once more and I knew she was fine with having more witnesses.

______________________

Samuel Oak swept through our front door. “What’s this about a new discovery?” he rasped with delight, pokedex raised. “Where is it?” he asked, glancing around eyes sweeping about the area only to pause on me before twitching to Sabrina who was sitting behind me.

I coughed and lifted Eevee up. “Ready to record the importance of a loving environment?” I asked. I’d started to have some doubts that this would work after I’d called him but it was too late to back down now.

This would be egg on my face if it didn’t work but it should… I mean… it made sense to me…

I shook it off and coughed pointedly. The lounge room door opened and my family were revealed. All of them were huddled up close with their arms spread towards Eevee.

“We love you Eevee!” they chorused together. 

Before I could second guess myself any more, I unclipped the collar containing the everstone and put Eevee down. “Go to them,” I urged.

Sabrina, who I’d made sure to call first, stepped next to me to watch as Eevee began to run right into the middle of my family.

They folded around Eevee with a group hug, but just as they made to touch her she began to glow with the light of evolution.

Sabrina, Oak, and I all leaned forward. I hoped I hadn’t messed this up. If we had we were about to get an Espeon with it still being day time outside.

Eevee’s body rippled into a taller, slightly bouncier form, the ears still having the signature curve. 

It wasn’t until I saw the ribbons begin to form up from near its ears that I breathed out in relief. 

The light died away to reveal eevee’s evolved form. 

“Sylveon!” chirped the now much large pokemon. 

“Oh my goodness! She’s gorgeous!” cried Cindy as she surged forward to begin stroking the ribbons. “Her hair is long and beautiful!”

I relaxed again, the other fear of the ribbons being made of flesh being unfounded, did a lot. 

Oak, who had the Pokedex fixed on Sylveon, began rapid firing observations into the feed. 

I held back a chuckle at everyone’s delight. Yolanda cuddled Sylveon and grinned. “Well, you’re the prettiest pokemon in the house now!” she announced, causing Sylveon to wiggle with glee. 

I chuckled as Yolanda popped Sylveon back down. “Are you sure you don’t want to learn how to fight and come on a Journey with me? A fairy type like you would be amazing to have!”

Sylveon just shook her head, content to be stroked by the kids as Yolanda sighed.

Oak, who’d heard this comment, tilted his head. “You know, this Sylveon would be a pokemon in high demand, especially if Karen completes her bid to challenge for the Elite Four position,” he mused.

That caused a few of my brothers to stiffen. “The pre-match commentary! We’re missing it!” they shouted as they dashed into the lounge room and scrambled around for the remote. 

Munchlax waddled into the hallway with a huge yawn having been napping somewhere in the house. He gave Sylveon a nod, pulled out the remote and turned the tv on only to do a double take and look back at Sylveon who preened at his reaction.

“That is one vain pokemon,” I whispered to Sabrina.

Sabrina giggled as Sylveon shot me a hurt look, her eyes welling up with tears that made my heart clench.

Sabrina waved a hand in front of my face. “Careful, she’s twice as effective with Baby Doll eyes now,” she said.

I shook off the feeling and sighed. “Ah… I might have miscalculated. The main dark type Sylveon was going to encounter in this household was me. I suddenly had a very good idea of how that was going to play out. 

Sylveon smirked at me like she knew what I was thinking. 

Oh dear. “Sabrina, I find myself regretting this decision.”

Sabrina just smiled, patting me on the arm. “You’ll learn to live with it. The only harm I think that will eventually happen will be that Sylveon might soon weigh more than Munchlax.” She made a gesture in a circle shape and I snorted. 

I moved past the cluster my sisters and Salvadore had made around Sylveon. 

Oak soon approached and began petting the new pokemon himself. 

Just as Karen and Kaede took to the podiums for the fight, the girls shifted into the lounge room so they could continue to admire Sylveon while watching two of the strongest female Ace Trainers fight each other.

Oak coughed and stepped right in front of me as I made to follow them.

“Oh… hi?” I replied, not liking this set-up at all. I glanced over to find Sabrina had vacated the seat next to me and was now sitting with Suzie in her lap while Togepi sat in Suzie’s.  

Lola wandered in at that moment and blinked at the family all being so loud. She stayed quiet and took a seat at the back being oddly reserved. She still had the business card I’d given her clutched in her hands.

Hmmm, that talk earlier got through to her.

“Ahem,” Oak cleared his throat and I turned to find that he’d nudged me into the lounge so he could sit, still blocking my view of the match. 

I think Karen sent out Murkrow first? No, that couldn’t be right…

“What clued you in to the idea that Eevee’s Fairy-type evolution would be activated by stronger emotion than the typical friendship?” Oak probed, head weaving like an Arbok to block me from seeing the television.

There was a glint of fanaticism in his eyes. “I… can this wait?” I asked.

“Science waits for no man Brock! This is an amazing discovery, and depending on what it reveals there might be a whole new level of care given to pokemon the world over!”

I coughed. “That sounds a bit hyperbolic,” I pointed out.

Oak just sighed. “I’m a romantic at heart, what can I say, but I’m not wrong.” He leaned in close. “Was there something different about your Eevee?” he asked. 

“I mean… Seriously—”

Oak leaned over, allowing me to see a Dark Pulse radiating from what looked like a Weavile only for Oak to straighten and reveal he’d somehow gotten hold of the remote.

“Brock! You of all people should understand that the price of good work is more work! Now, you can watch this match later on a replay. If it is distracting you that much I shall turn it off.”

Before I could retort that this was my house and I wasn’t going to be pushed around, my family turned on me. “No! Brock Get out!” they shouted as one. 

Tommy and even Salvadore combined forces to push me upright. 

I gaped at their responses but decided to let them have the win when a third much older hand joined in pushing me out the door and into the kitchen where I was sat down with Oak spreading out his notes in front of us. 

“We need to get ahead of this!” 

My hands shot up in exasperation. “No one else knows about this!”

“Exactly!” Oak gushed. “We’ll open a whole new line of research on them! Remember Brock, sometimes decisive action makes all the difference!”

I shot him a suspicious look. “You’re throwing a lot of proverbs at me tonight.”

“I’m just that motivated, I assure you!” he replied, scratching at the back of his neck.

I continued to search his face. Something was off, but I couldn’t quite— 

“And the score is now two all!” announced the television loudly. I sighed. Maybe I could be quick about this? I thought to myself delusionally. 

“Incidentally, have you commissioned a suit of armour from the local metal workers yet?” he asked.

I stared at him. Alright, he was being super weird tonight. “I sent them a design but nothing else,” I replied. 

“Oh good, very good,” he said like he was just making conversation, his eyes darted to my wrist where my mega stone was before looking away. “So? What led you to believe a fairy-type evolution was possible?” 

I sighed and began listing out my thoughts that Eevee could potentially be a Pokemon capable of more evolutions, as it had a lot of depth already.

Oak continued to poke, prod, and tease more and more thoughts out of me on my theories.

When my family staggered to the kitchen for supper, I blinked and realised that half an hour had passed without my notice. 

“Who won?” I asked as Flint began handing out some hot cocoa.

“Karen did!” shouted Suzie, only to blush as Togepi began to fuss at the loud noises.

“But Samurai Furret pile drove her Houndoom! It was amazing!” gushed Cindy. 

I had so many questions. 

How being the most prevalent! 

Furret was tiny!

Yolanda snorted. “That only enraged Houndoom and made it more determined to beat Furret. Which it did,” she pointed out. 

I clicked my tongue and shot Oak an annoyed look as he shamelessly accepted a drink from Flint. Oak looked back at me innocently. “So Brock, we were discussing your theory about how denying Eevee the ability to breed has impeded Sylveon from being discovered?” 

I sighed as Salvadore slid in next to us. He had his own notepad out. “What did I miss?” he asked. 

I groaned. This was going to take forever!

By the time I was done with Oak, I felt drained, while Oak looked more energetic the more answers he got from me.

He departed with a happy wave, declaring he’d be back with his team later tomorrow. 

I waved him off and ran a hand down my face as I cleaned up with Nanny Grav. “Well girl, that sure backfired on me,” I said.

“Grav,” Nanny Grav said, patting me on the shoulder. She then nodded to the door, and I turned to find Sylveon there. 

“Hey girl, looking for a treat?” I asked. 

Sylveon darted in and leapt up onto my shoulder where she looked me right in the eyes before licking my nose. Then she nodded and hopped off and darted away.

“Huh, I think she likes her new form,” I said as I wiped my nose. 

I entered my room to find Sabrina meditating before bed. I left her to it as I completed my own nightly rituals. When I slipped into bed, she joined me.

I awoke a few hours later to her twitching in her sleep. 

“Sabrina?” I asked, putting a hand on her shoulder. 

Sabrina’s eyes snapped open, and she sat up. “We should go to Shamouti early… There is something coming there.” 

She frowned and flexed her fingers, staring at them. “Something… something bad is going to happen, but not to us… I felt sorrow and pity for someone else…”

I wrapped her in a hug. “Sure, we’ll go early, get established,” I announced. 

Then I recalled Oak and his pointed questions. I was also probably going to have the League poking around soon. 

Bianca and Stephen might also be annoyed at me…

“How’s tomorrow work for you?” I suggested. 

___________________

A.N. Thanks go to my Patreons for your continued support!

As you can guess, we’re ramping up for the Shamouti arc!

The long overdue talk with Lola happens!

Eevee evolves! Now, back when I first decided that the family should get themselves an Eevee I always had this scene in mind where Yolanda would get pissed with Lola and lose her cool only to get annoyed with herself for getting emotional, with Brock stating that it wasn’t a weakness but a strength which would lead into Sylveon.

But with how long it’s been and how Yolanda has so many supports I realised the scene doesn’t work. Yolanda is emotionally mature and resilient. She doesn’t need that scene, but she still can trigger other changes within her family. 

Also, it’s not like the other kids wouldn’t have benefited from the demonstration. They all just got to witness the Power of Love at work.

My thanks also go to Twmmy for proofreading this chapter!